LITTLE RIVER, Kansas – For the first time in four seasons Little River failed to make at least 10 wins in a season for 2023, finishing 7-3 overall after losing in the second round of the 8-Man, Division I state playoffs to West Elk.Kevin Ayers enters his seventh season as head coach of the Redskins where he has posted a record of 50-10, while overall in his head coaching career Ayers is 210-49.
LITTLE RIVER, Kansas – It was a spectacular season in 2023 for the Little River volleyball team as they completed the season with 44 wins and just a pair of losses while topping it off with a Class 1A state championship for the second season in a row!Now the work begins to replace five players who earned all-state honors as well as the two-time player of the year in Alaina Eck.
INMAN, Kansas – The Inman volleyball program has a proud history of late as they have recorded 20 wins or more in five of the past six seasons and over thirty wins the past two, including a 27-7 mark in 2023 and a fourth-place finish at the Class 2A state tournament.But 2024 begins a new and that includes a new head coach as Kat Russell who brings over 25 years of coaching experience to the Lady Teutons, all at the varsity level in junior high, senior high and even some elite club teams.
A state runner-up finish a year ago for the McPherson High School girls tennis team was carried by all players being medalists, but now just three of those medal-earning players return in 2024 as the Lady Pups prepare for the new season.Just nine points separated McPherson from a first-place finish at the end of last year’s state tournament with eventual champion Independence taking the crown.
For the first time since 2009, McPherson High School boasts a reigning cross country champion entering the season as Bullpup junior Caleb Muehler returns to defend his class 4A individual title along with the remaining four top runners from last year’s team.In 2009, McPherson’s Adam Porter claimed the cross country individual state championship in class 5A.
LINDSBORG, Kansas – Entering year number four of the Vince Warbinton era, the Smoky Valley High School girls tennis team looks to add to its rich tradition in 2024 by making another push towards a top finish in class 3A-1A.Since Warbinton took over in 2021, Smoky Valley has had two Central Kansas League titles (2021 and 2022), two regional championships (2021 and 2022) and two top three finishes at the class 3A-1A state tournament (second place in 2021 and third place in 2022).Joined by assistant coaches Gary Butler and Thomas DeWitt, Warbinton will attempt to lead the Vikings back to another top finish at state after returning two state qualifiers from last season.The two state qualifiers that return in 2024 for Smoky Valley are Lily Heline (placed 12th overall at state in doubles) and Kaitlyn Leis (qualified for state in doubles).
LINDSBORG, Kansas – The 2023 football season did not go well for an incredibly young Smoky Valley team as they finished 1-8 overall after losing to Scott City in the state playoffs.Tim Lambert begins his ninth season leading the Vikings and has an overall head coaching mark of 210-113 with 45 wins and 41 losses coming at Smoky Valley.
MOUNDRIDGE, Kansas – After a super successful first season as the head coach for the Moundridge football team, Tyler O’Connor now has the task of moving from 8-man, division I football to 11-man football in 2024.The Wildcats finished the 2023 season 9-1 after losing in the state playoffs to Chase County.“We look to make the transition to 11-man football as we focus on improving week in and week out,” explained O’Connor while reflecting on the changes ahead.
INMAN, Kansas – After back-to-back seasons of finishing second in the Class 1A playoffs along with five straight winning seasons, the Inman football team suffered a healthy dip in 2023 when they finished with just three wins and six defeats.Returning for his tenth season as the head coach will be Lance Sawyer, where he has recorded a 50-36 record with the Teutons and is now 84-85 overall in his head coaching career.Sawyer will again have Bill Garst for his tenth season and Greg Froese for his seventh working with him along with first year assistant Brock Blair.With 12 starters returning, five on offense and seven on defense, the Teutons have a plethora of players with both experience and many will be looking to help make a difference.
CANTON, Kansas – With the football program getting new leadership, the Canton/Galva volleyball program has made the same change as well with the naming of Summer Bina as the new head coach and leader of the Lady Eagle spikers.Closing out the 2023 season at 14-21 and not recording a winning season in over a decade, coach Bina will look to turn the program around with the help of assistant coaches Rylee Plummer and Ryland Hawkinson.“The coaches and I are excited to get to know the girls on the team and see just what they are capable of in 2024,” noted Bina.Among the first duties will be to find replacements for starters Adi Alcala and Hailey Barton, both of whom transferred out of the district with Alcala moving to Inman and Barton up the road to Centre/Lost Springs.The rebuild can begin with returning starter, Trinity Espinoza, a 5’ 6” junior outside hitter who earned honorable mention All-Wheat State League and has been named as a player to watch by the KSHSAA (Kansas State High School Athletic Association) after scoring 159 kills and 190 digs in 2023.Senior middle blocker Raegan Hawkinson, who at 5’ 7”, will contribute strong team leadership while plugging up the net on defense after racking up 248 digs and 192 kill’s last season.Joining Hawkinson at middle blocker will be 5’ 7” junior Jordy Elliot, who looks to earn a lot more playing time and stats in 2024.“One of our strengths is we will have three returning starters as well as a pair of strong girls that consistently came off the bench for the varsity in 2023,” added coach Bina.